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Oz Leikela, we're in the same time zone. I'm from Melbourne (Bayside). I'll have to wait until tomorrow for more responses to my questions from the others, they're fast asleep right now (or playing piano). I can't learn more than one extra piece at a time as for me it becomes a habit to keep picking up a new piece when I begin loosing motivation. I'm working on a Chopin piece outside of Alfred's and won't allow myself to even look at other pieces until I 'almost' perfect it.

Music Girl, do you have a teacher? I'm from Bayside (inner) too, and am going to soon hunt for a teacher in the area. Would rather go on someone's recommendation, than trying to find someone randomly. Otherwise I'll just have to go the trial and error method.

Gintarec, my pieces aren't perfect either. That's why I wrote it as 'perfect'. It's as perfect as they are going to get for a while. I plan on working through the whole book until I can play each piece fairly fluently and then go back and "dot my I's and cross my T's". Goodluck with your lesson tonight!

It seems we are taking the same path through the book But - it is a very good fun along the way!!!!

Have you set yourself a 'time scale' when you hope to be finished with book one?

I just keep thinking - is there any chance I could manage to do it by Christmas?... Probably not! But, I will start looking to level 2 book soon. (Don't want to get caught out with no book at the end!!!)

P.S. I like your signature, I hope you don't mind if I copy it.... Just let me know if you do!

I thought I had a chance to pass Amazing Grace during my lesson a while ago, but apparently not :P I still have a few hiccups and most of all, rhythm (counting) issues. It's nice to hear my teacher play the piece - her version is infinitely more musical than mine! We're having another lesson later this week and I hope I can polish it up by then.

@ Quagles: I personally find Amazing Grace more difficult than The Entertainer, because the LH moves around a lot, and I had count very well so I could get it proper rhythm (it turned out my rhythm was uneven all along).

Nowadays I'm spending more time with my other pieces (Hungarian Dance #5 Duet). Crazy hard for me to get everything right, but I love the how it sounds. Sigh...why do the tunes that sound *really* good almost always have to be quite complex?

I've been lurking since last May when I started in on the Alfred AIO #1. Never played any instrument before, although I took piano lessons for a few months as a child when I was much more interested in things like baseball or climbing trees. For some reason at age 56 it hit me that I would like to play the piano.

So far I am enjoying the voyage and have just moved on to book 2, although my Amazing Grace could still stand a lot more polishing. Acutally I got all the way through book one back in July, but after talking to someone about using the metronome (which I had not, ever), decided to go back to the beginning and redo the whole book making sure I checked everything with the metronome. I detest the stupid thing (which I call "the little nazi in my keyboard") but it sure proved that I had work to do on my rhythm.

The forum discussions have been very helpful and I want to thank all of you for participating. Hopefully, now that I've registered, I will be able to contribute as well as receive.

I've been lurking since last May when I started in on the Alfred AIO #1. Never played any instrument before, although I took piano lessons for a few months as a child when I was much more interested in things like baseball or climbing trees. For some reason at age 56 it hit me that I would like to play the piano.

So far I am enjoying the voyage and have just moved on to book 2, although my Amazing Grace could still stand a lot more polishing. Acutally I got all the way through book one back in July, but after talking to someone about using the metronome (which I had not, ever), decided to go back to the beginning and redo the whole book making sure I checked everything with the metronome. I detest the stupid thing (which I call "the little nazi in my keyboard") but it sure proved that I had work to do on my rhythm.

The forum discussions have been very helpful and I want to thank all of you for participating. Hopefully, now that I've registered, I will be able to contribute as well as receive.

I had my first lesson tonight and the teacher couldn't believe how far I got through the book. We started going through the book from the beginning quickly, and stopped at G position, from where we will pick up next time. I also got recommended couple more books for strengthening my hands.

Oh, and she said she cannot do a lesson in two weeks as she is going to a concert by Ludovico Einaudi. So, guess what - I got back home and bought tickets as well!!! (Well, my husband bought them for me for my birthday)I did not know he is giving concert here in two weeks!!!!!

Oz Leikela. I'm also looking for a teacher and really only want to go from a recommendation. I took piano lessons for a year (about 15 years ago, I'm 37 now). Anyway, I liked the teacher but I hated the lessons and wasn't progressing. She was classically trained. She taught piano at the Conservatorium in Sydney. So I thought she's be great. I gave her a piece of music (Tori Amos) that was way too difficult for me and we worked through it. She gave me no other exercises, that was it. It got too hard so I dropped the piece and then gave her another one and we worked on that until it just got too hard. She never once said you need to start on easier pieces. I'm a teacher and looking back I can see why I lost my motivation. Going to talk to my kids music teachers and others and if I find someone good I'll get back to you. Any area in particular?

Welcome Jim, I hope to be joining you in Book 2 before too long also...

I'm going to be moving on from Greensleeves this week, I have a confident feeling that my teacher will say "no mas" at my next lesson. Then it's on to Scarborough Fair, which I'm hoping will be quick. The music store has a recital mid-November, and I'm going to try to perform Amazing Grace at the recital. That's my goal.

Lately I've been working really hard to master a piece called "Air" by Henry Purcell, from the book "Easy Classics to Moderns," page 5. It is a dumb (but pretty) little song that is harder to me than differential calculus and speaking Chinese. The LH and RH are just doing their own thing. But I am gradually, very gradually, making progress.

Just because I am not a genius on piano doesn't mean that I can't love trying to learn, and making some basic music. That is what I tell myself.

Good to see this thread filling again with new prospects. A while ago I felt there was just a few of us left and we were all at near the end of the book with many hovering around maybe 10 pieces left and some at the final 2 and no one else really.

@Mari: Started to agree there now, first page while not too hard there's alot of movement while some parts are much easier than in The Entertainer putting it all together at the right pace is hard, feels like I'm just looking for the keys all the time. Only played first page, so ill try just perfect that first and see how that goes.

The Entertainer is coming nicely, hoping I could finish it up by Thursday since ill be gone for 4 days then without piano but I'm not sure if I can. Most parts are "OK" and not without much trouble but 2nd line on 2nd page is a tricky one and I can't pull it off anywhere near pace yet so that needs work.

Gintarec, congrats on the first lesson. Some of the "snags" I've hit recently have me scratching my head thinking about whether I should seek out a teacher. Initially I told myself I would do so if I was still interested after a year. But its pretty clear I will be, since I tend to get a bit compulsive about new endeavors. The concert sure sounds better than a lesson to me.

I've started posting on the book 2 thread too, but will certainly be visiting here from time to time since I enjoy playing some of the book 1 pieces quite a lot. R&A, Entertainer, and AG are my favs. Everytime I play Entertainer all I can see in my head is Paul Newman in The Sting.

Hello everyone, I am also new here, and this is my first post after becoming a member about a week ago. I started piano lessons when I was in my teens, I did it for only 2 lessons, I was more interested in the girls that were enrolled in class than the lesson itself and I had a nazi teacher, LOL. I dropped from the course. I enrolled my 5 year old daughter for piano lessons and my wife and I had to follow through with what ever was discussed/practiced in class, that's when the piano bug hit me. I bought an upright piano at a garage sale, bought Alfred's Self Teaching Adult Piano course and I am still in page 55 of the book, When the Saints Go Marching In with LH Melody and RH Chords. I still have a long way to go, and probably ask my daughter's teacher if she can also include me in her roster of older students.

...I personally find Amazing Grace more difficult than The Entertainer, because the LH moves around a lot, and I had count very well so I could get it proper rhythm (it turned out my rhythm was uneven all along)...

I agree. I think Amazing Grace is the most difficult in Book #1. I guess that's why it's last. I have been working on it for about 6-weeks. I think I'll have it pretty well done next week. The Entertainer was difficult but not nearly so. Both hands move around quite a bit with AG compared to TE. Counting is also more important with AG. When I finish AG, it will have taken me about 19 months to complete Book #1. A lot longer than many I think, but I'm happy with my progress.

It's interesting that last March or April I thought I would be done in a few weeks. The last 10 to 15 pages are more difficult than I had imagined. I've started Book #2 while I finish AG. The start of Book #2 is mostly some review with some pretty simple pieces. I hope I can do Book #2 in another year and a half.

I have heard the CD songs in Book 2. Just feel that Book 1 has more enjoyable songs than Book 2 although some in Book 2 are also nice.

I am at Scarborough Fair now but think that i still do not play Go Down Moses well, especially the third rows when we need to press 'A' (quarter note) followed by another 'A' and at the same time need to use sustain pedal

Gintarec, no problems with the signature!My time scale is also by Christmas, although I've finally ordered that Alfreds Greatest Hits book, so that will keep me a bit busier. Glad to hear your lesson went so well too, it's making me REALLY want to get a teacher!!

Music_Girl, where abouts Bayside are you? I haven't really started looking yet, someone told me about www.amtr.com.au also. I'm looking at inner Bayside area, so around Albert Park area. If you find a good teacher before me (assuming you're in the same area) please let me know, as will I.

Am working on the Blues pieces now, must say I really don't like them at all! Can't wait for them to be over, not very motivating at all. All the more reason to get this Greatest Hits book to mix in with my practice, for times like this where I have 3 pieces to work on that I realy don't like.

I 'think' I am nearly there with the 'Lullaby'. Although, I really don't like counting, so just play by the ear. While it is quarter notes, I am can force myself to count or to use metronome (don't like it), but when we have the half a beat note, I get lost and just play by the ear... Any tips on this?

I tried the next melody (can't remember what it is called), and it wasn't too bad, so hope that will not take too long! Oh, and a good friend just bought me one of the practice books the teacher suggested, so I just need to wait for Amazon to deliver it!

I am looking forward to try out those blues pieces, although I have no idea if I will like them!!!

I didn't do any 'warm up' before playing before, but I started with some exercises yesterday - I hope that will help me to coordinate my hands better in the long run and increase the strength of my fingers.

Well, had my lesson tonight, passed on everything from Greensleaves up to(but not including) He's Got the Whole World, she gave me a couple of pointers on that one, The Entertainer and Amazing Grace and said to keep working on those, that they were almost there. She's ordering Book 2 and I'll get it next lesson in two weeks.

Because of the holidays coming and my lessons falling on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month, for November and December I'm only going to have one lesson each month, which is just fine. I'm going to take that time to work on some Christmas songs and do the early review portion in book 2 and be ready to get into some serious work on book 2 come January.

@ gintarec: Unfortunately there is no quick-fix solution for learning to keep a steady rhythm aside from counting, clapping, tapping, mnemonic syllables or whatever system works for you. You could try asking your teacher. I tend to 'get it' faster when my teacher demonstrates for me. If you have prior experience with another instrument it may come easier, but for an almost-total beginner like me it's absolutely essential.

I think that not having a way to check the rhythm is the biggest pitfall a self-learner can make. In the Teacher's Forum, the teachers often say the top 3 issues self-learners tend to have are rhythm/fingering/posture problems. Heck, even people with teachers have the same problems so it isn't so surprising. "Playing the rhythm by ear" is so much easier and natural instead of the drudgery of counting and the metronome, but I don't think it's advisable especially for us beginners. This is just a word of caution because it's a mistake that I myself am prone to do and regret it 90% of the time. I made the same mistake with "Lullaby" - it turned out that the first the rhythm was slightly different somewhere in the first couple of measures and I had to rework it all over again for my teacher. Almost every time I decide to quit counting and play by ear instead, I end up having to do more work to correct the mistake.

I am still struggling to keep counting/using the metronome, but I trudge along with it because if I don't learn how to count now while the pieces are still easier, I reckon I'll have an even harder time when the pieces get more complex and you just can't easily fake the rhythm.

Thanks marimorimo! I KNOW I need to keep counting. I try to, but then at some point through the melody I give up. If I am using metronome, I seem to 'forget' about it at some point... It was easy to follow the counting when the teacher was counting, but I just can't listen (I do hear it!!!) to the metronome! I suppose, because it can't tell me off...

Oh well, I think I will need to increase the volume on my metronome to the point it can't be ignored!And as for another question - what speed on metronome do you use for Lullaby (and other songs)? How do you do with half beat notes? Do you count 'and one, and two...' or have another tip how to get through?

I think I managed the Lullaby all right last night, and sort of there with Joy to the world, and moved all the way to the blues pieces (like the first one, but not the other two - will have to look for them online to listen to first, so I know what it is all about). But, I know I need to get back and work on the rhythm.

@ gintarec: That's funny, I'm the exact opposite with the metronome.. in fact, I turn the volume down because it keeps distracting me with its unrelentless beat. As to tips on counting, my teacher taught me to use the "and" counting with a slight variation, like "one....two-and.three...." (I only count the "ands" when necessary, like an eighth note or dotted quarter note). As to what metronome speed, I usually just choose what's comfortable for me (but I start slow then gradually bump it up). It's probably better to ask suggestions from your teacher.

Oh, I have an announcement...I've graduated from Alfred Book One!!!

I had my lesson a while ago and my teacher gave me a pass on Amazing Grace. We even worked on the first couple of pieces on Book 2..they are several degrees easier than the last few pieces in Book 1 so I almost sight-read them (but not quite )!

It's been an incredible journey with Book One and I'm thankful for all the support of the community in this forum. Finishing at just shy of 6 months (23 wks), I was slightly frustrated at myself because I originally set my goal to finish it in 4. But life, a bunch of non-Alfred pieces, and a teacher who insists on polished pieces got in the way, and all for the better I must say. Somewhere near the end, I stopped being so preoccupied with finishing the book and just enjoyed the pieces I was playing. I feel that the real journey has just begun.

There have been a few things going on in my mind while doing the Alfred course, like its advantages/disadvantages/ strong & weak points (as perceived by me) so if anyone is interested to know the musings of a not-so-total beginner, I'll post them here

Counting is like foreign language for me, I've never done it or attempted to. I probably should care, but I don't :p and I never bothered to understand how you are supposed to count anyways. Maybe some day, maybe ill bother with it.

Gonna miss my piano cause ill be gone all until Monday gonna try and order book 2 before then if I can find a place since I don't think ill be more than a few more weeks left in this book. First page of amazing grace is perfected, but the Arpeggios on 2nd page..I just can't do them.

I use the 'and' in counting, but I am afraid that if I only use it when needed, then my rhythm won't be even... I'll give it ago again. Yes, the metronome is annoying me, but if I turn it down, then I just ignore it. I also keep looking at the blinking dot, but then I can't see the notes at the same time!!!! I think I just need someone standing behind my back and counting 'one two three...'

I am thinking to order book two as well, although I am no where near finishing book 1 yet. The reason being that I want the one with the CD this time, and Amazon UK doesn't sell any!!!!! (So I wouldn't have to try and find the pieces online to listen how they should be played)

I personally don't like counting, either... I am still fairly early in the book (just about to start the Harp Song) so haven't gotten to 1/8 notes yet. I tend to just play be ear which is pretty doable when it's just quarters or longer and I check myself with the metronome. I play better with the metronome since it's one less thing to concentrate on... Without the metronome I go off-tempo sometimes but generally I can hear it and realize it and try to correct it.

I probably should start counting more, though, so it doesn't bite me in the butt later...

On another note, I got Alfred's Greatest Hits #1 and am really glad that I did! The pieces seem significantly harder than the corresponding sections of the All-In-One book but still doable (just requires more work to learn) and so it's very fun and rewarding. I have Love Me Tender down pretty well and it was very rewarding to do so.

Congrats Marimorimo, I'll see you in Book 2 thread shortly. In fact, I'm probably going to start reading now so I have a heads up on anything that might be coming along that needs some special attention.

I have to ask....... Did your teacher sign your certificate in the back? I already told my teacher she had to sign mine when I get there and she laughed.

Fantastic Marimorimo! Well done. Your progress in 6 months is quite amazing. You must be a "natural"!

I started around May, and I just finished Greensleeves. I expect I have about 3 more months, since the pieces at the end of the book are more substantial. But that would put me at a total of 8 months or so. We'll see how it goes.

It's fun (in a way) to run up against your limits, and realize there is no substitute for putting the time, effort, and hard work to progress further. At least for me.

Tonight I will begin "Amazing Grace," so that it can be ready in time for the recital I am participating in end of November. Then I'll circle back and finish the other 4 or so tunes towards the end of the book.

Barb - I am definitely going to have my teacher sign the certificate. Heck I will probably frame it and hang it up next to my digital, to make me smile!